Frequently asked questions

Powertec offers electric generators for temporary or permanent generation, in gasoline, diesel and gas generator sets. The portfolio covers everything from portable gasoline units for small loads and occasional use, to open-frame or soundproofed diesel generator sets for industry, commerce, healthcare and events, and gas or biogas generator sets for continuous operation with lower emissions. The equipment is configured with Honda, Cummins, Perkins, John Deere, Volvo and Deutz engines, and with Stamford, Leroy Somer and Marathon generators (alternators), brands with worldwide backing and spare-parts availability in Colombia. The choice of fuel and brand depends on the use: diesel predominates in emergency and heavy-duty applications for its robustness and runtime, gasoline in low, portable power ranges, and gas in fixed installations with a continuous natural gas grid supply.

Both: sale, rental, installation, maintenance, service and operation of generator sets. Purchasing makes sense when the equipment will become a permanent part of the client's infrastructure (for example, the mandatory emergency plant of a building, hospital or industrial facility). Rental is the usual option for temporary projects, construction sites, drilling, events or contingencies, because it includes immediate availability, maintenance and support without capital investment. In both cases Powertec supports installation, commissioning and after-sales service, so a single provider is accountable for the equipment's full life cycle.

It depends on the sector: in oil-field projects, generators from 200 KW to 1,000 KW have been operated, and in the entertainment sector from 50 KW to 1,000 KW. To size a unit correctly, it is important to distinguish between kW (real power that does work) and kVA (apparent power): generators are usually sold in kVA with a reference power factor of 0.8, so a 100 kVA unit delivers approximately 80 kW of usable power. In addition, available power decreases with altitude above sea level and ambient temperature — in cities such as Bogotá, at around 2,600 m.a.s.l., engines lose a significant fraction of their rated power — so the final sizing should always be validated by an engineer using the real load data, including the starting inrush of electric motors, which can multiply operating current by three or more.

Every request to rent power plants is served with a backup unit at no additional cost, applicable to equipment up to 200 kW and subject to negotiation terms (Powertec Entertainment service-guarantee policy). In practice, this means the project has a primary generator and a backup unit ready to go into operation if the first one fails, a configuration known as N+1 redundancy. This scheme is the recommended standard for live events, audiovisual productions and any operation where a power outage, even a brief one, has unacceptable economic or safety consequences.

It is a device that enables automatic generator-to-generator or generator-to-grid operation, guaranteeing that in the event of a problem the power outage does not exceed 10 seconds. The ATS continuously monitors the commercial power grid: when it detects a fault, a voltage drop or a phase loss, it commands the generator to start and transfers the load automatically; once the grid is restored and stabilizes, it returns the load to the grid and shuts the unit down after a cool-down period. It is the component that turns a generator into a true emergency system, and it is essential in facilities where no one is available to operate the equipment manually, such as buildings, hospitals, data centers, pumping stations or industrial plants that operate at night.

The automatic transfer switch (ATS) limits the power outage to a maximum of 10 seconds in the event of a fault, a time that covers fault detection, generator start-up and load switching. A synchronizing switchboard goes further: it guarantees that if the primary equipment fails, the backup generator continues supplying power with no interruption at all. To achieve this, synchronizing precisely matches voltage, frequency and phase angle between two sources before coupling them, which makes it possible to operate several generators in parallel, share the load among them and add up capacity. The choice depends on criticality: an ATS is enough for most buildings and industries, while synchronizing is recommended for operating rooms, data centers, continuous-process plants and large events, where even a few seconds without power are not acceptable.

Yes. Since 2012 it has operated the Casabe Alliance project with Ecopetrol-Schlumberger across more than 100 facilities of Campo Casabe (Yondó, Antioquia), supplying generators from 200 KW to 1,000 KW along with equipment rental, supplies, installation, operation and maintenance. Since 2011 it has also served MI Swaco with generators and fuel tanks in more than 300 projects nationwide, for operations run by clients such as Pacific Rubiales, OXY, Hocol, Gran Tierra, WOGSA, NGE, ONGC, Petrex, Saxon and Latco. This track record involves continuous operation in remote locations, with fuel logistics, spare parts and technical staff in hard-to-reach areas, which is where the reliability of the power supply is most critical.

Yes, through Powertec Entertainment: soundproofed diesel-powered generator sets (50 KW to 1,000 KW), light towers, backup equipment, sound-attenuation enclosures, specialized technical staff and transport of the generator to the event site. Soundproofed units drastically reduce noise levels, an essential condition when the equipment operates near a stage, a filming set or the audience. The service includes supply engineering — calculating the load for sound, lighting, video, staging and services —, Cam-Lock-type cabling and connections, distribution, transfer and synchronizing switchboards, fuel supply throughout the entire event and on-shift operators, so the production does not depend on the public grid or on a single machine.

Powertec holds ISO 9001 quality certification, the most widely adopted international standard for quality management systems in the world. This certification means that the company's processes — from quoting and supply to installation, maintenance and after-sales service — are documented, are audited periodically by an independent body and are oriented toward continuous improvement and customer satisfaction. For a contracting client, this translates into traceability: defined procedures for responding to failures, scheduled and verifiable maintenance, and a formal channel for complaints and corrective actions.

Powertec, formerly Disequipos Ltda, has more than 20 years of experience and has installed and supplied more than 2,000 generator sets across different economic sectors and geographic regions of Colombia. That track record covers industry, commerce, healthcare, buildings, the oil sector, agribusiness and entertainment, from portable units to large-capacity synchronized systems. The number of units installed under such diverse conditions — the warm climate of the Caribbean, Andean altitude, the humidity of the Llanos — backs the sizing criteria Powertec applies today on every new project.

Powertec is headquartered in Bogotá, Colombia, and has project coverage across the entire national territory. Documented experience includes operations in Bogotá and the Andean region, Antioquia (Campo Casabe, Yondó), Valle del Cauca, the Caribbean coast and the Llanos Orientales (Eastern Plains), as well as remote drilling and oil-production locations. Each region's conditions directly affect the equipment configuration: altitude reduces the engine's available power, heat and humidity require suitable cooling and ventilation systems, and distance from urban centers makes fuel autonomy and preventive-maintenance plans critical.

Fuel tanks come in capacities of 1,000, 2,000 and 5,000 gallons with a spill-containment dike, which protects the ground against accidental leaks and meets the environmental requirements of industrial and oil operations. Frac tanks have a capacity of 500 BBL (barrels, equivalent to about 79,500 liters), with spill-free inlet and outlet valves and a 25,000 LB axle so they can be relocated by tractor-trailer. This capacity makes it possible to sustain continuous operations at remote locations for extended periods without frequent refueling, a decisive factor in drilling, mining or construction projects far from the main road network.

The distribution switchboards are modular, low-voltage, free-standing or surface-mounted, with IP20 protection, and comply with NEMA/ANSI/IEEE technical standards. IP20 protection means the switchboard protects against contact with solid objects larger than 12 mm, suitable for indoor installations in electrical rooms; for outdoor or humid environments, enclosures with higher ratings are recommended. NEMA (National Electrical Manufacturers Association), ANSI (American National Standards Institute) and IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) standards define the construction, testing, short-circuit capacity and safety requirements for this equipment, and compliance with them is the basis for the installation to also meet RETIE requirements, the technical regulation governing electrical installations in Colombia.

Through the site's contact form or by phone at (57)(1) 629 6397, indicating the type of equipment, the power required and the duration or scope of the project. You can also use the site's energy advisor: describe your sector, location, loads and required continuity level, and the tool will suggest an indicative configuration that can be automatically attached to your quote request to speed up the commercial review. The more complete the initial information — power of the main loads, whether there are large motors, altitude of the installation site and desired fuel autonomy — the more accurate and faster the technical and commercial proposal will be.